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Journalism of Courage
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday defended the police action against Asianet News, telling the Kerala Assembly that the issue of freedom of press cannot be brought into it.
“The occupation of a person is not a factor while taking legal action against an individual who is involved in a criminal activity. The law does not allow it,” the CM said, replying to the notice for an adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA P C Vishnunath.
As Speaker A N Shamseer denied permission for the adjournment motion, the Opposition staged a walkout from the Assembly.
While the Pinaryi government is holding firm on its action against Asianet, there seem to be differences even within the ruling Left Democratic Front on the matter.
Questioning the police action against Asianet, CPI assistant secretary Prakash Babu said: “It is against freedom of the press. Any action or case that hurts freedom of the press should be avoided.”
Clarifying that this was his “personal opinion”, Babu said they would raise the issue in the party committee. “It is up to the party central leadership to decide the stand on the issue.”
Officially, the Left allies of the CPI(M) have not reacted to the police action.
Three journalists of Asianet News are facing a POCSO case while its regional office in Kozhikode was raided by the police on Sunday over an alleged fake news item, following a complaint by CPI(M)-backed MLA P V Anwar.
BJP MP and Union minister of state Rajeev Chandrasekhar has investment stake in Asianet. Activists of the SFI, the students’ wing of the CPI(M), had also barged into the Asianet News office in Kochi.
Pinarayi said the production of a fake video and telecasting it cannot be called journalism. “After entrapping a minor girl in a video, seeking protection of journalism is not courageous journalism,” he said.
The CM added that there was no comparison between the action against Asianet and BBC facing Income Tax searches, after the release of a documentary critical of the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government over the 2002 riots. “The action against BBC was for having brought to light the role of a ruler in a communal riot. The fake video production (by Asianet) was not an expose against any government… So, the argument that the police action was retaliatory in nature does not hold water,’’ Pinarayi said.
He added that the IPC and CrPC do not treat mediapersons who commit “criminal offences” differently. “The Constitution does not differentiate between common people and mediapersons,” he said.
Criticising the police action, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Shocking news. How is the Kerala Govt different from the Union Govt in its misuse of the police vs the media? Ironically it is run by a party which condemned a similar action in @BBC ‘s Delhi Office. Tyranny isn’t any more acceptable in red than in saffron!’’
Congress legislator and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said the action reflected Pinarayi’s approach against all those who criticise him. “The channel raid shows that there is no difference between Modi in Delhi and the mundu (dhoti) wearing Modi (Vijayan) in Kerala,” he said.
BJP state president K Surendran said: “When Income Tax raided BBC as per law, Pinarayi was indignant against it.”
Congress ally IUML’s Kannur district leadership has taken a slightly different view of the issue. The alleged fake news telecast by Asianet had its origin in Kannur, with its Kannur reporter, Noufal bin Yousaf, one of the accused in the case registered in Kozhikode.
IUML Kannur district president Abdul Karim Cheleri said: “We all know that journalist Naufal bin Yousaf demonstrates activism and an investigative bent in many ways. But there is no different opinion that the means and methods adopted by him were wrong. At the same time, the police raid on Asianet cannot be justified,” he said.
